After beating the crowds on boxing day sale shopping, we headed to Chinatown for lunch. Lunch at Chinatown always mean dim sum. Standing around Chinatown, it's hard to pick amongst the vast restaurants serving dim sum. We've been going to Jade Garden for dim sum for quiet some time and have never found a reason to complain.

Jade Garden is a long standing Chinese restaurant that has change little over the years, with its old fashion interior and tables packed closely. It is a smallish restaurant on Wardour Street, especially on weekends it is filled with Chinese people.

Dim Sum

The choice of dim sum at Jade Garden is much more varied than most of the places, which is good. Service is basic, dim sum is ordered by filling a form with numbers. With only 2 people, we ate 9 plates of dim sum:

Cha Siu Bao

Duck Tongues in Black Bean Sauce

Whelks in Satay Sauce

Xiao Long Bao

Scallop and Prawn Dumplings

Chicken Feet in Black Bean Sauce

Rice Noodle Roll with Youtiao

Deep Fried Meat Dumplings

Preserved Eggs and Pork Congee

We definitely over ordered, which is literally every time going for dim sum. The dim sum are cooked to order, or is that reheated to order but they are nice enough. I've also noticed the more upmarket Chinese restaurants does not seem to serve offal or whelk related dim sum where as you will only find it in old-fashion places. Deep fried meat dumplings was very good, fried freshly and the skin is thin and crispy. Duck tongues, whelks and chicken feet was mediocre. Cha siu bao was light and fluffy. Would have love to had a bit more soy sauce to pour over the rice noodle roll but in general the youtiao was fresh and the rice noodle can be thinner. My only criticism was the skin on the xiao long bao and prawn dunplings was on the thick side. I didn't taste the congee as it was eaten all by Mr. T, but given that he is a devouter of congee.

Don't expect good quality tea, given the Chinese phrase of "yum cha" translate directly to drinking tea but actually means eating dim sum. Only high end Chinese restaurants will serve good quality tea and the price can be above average. Jade Garden does charge £1/head for tea, which is acceptable.

The most obvious praise for the restaurant is the fact that it is always well frequented by Chinese, so one must assume they feel the food is good and authentic. It is not the best dim sum, it is nice enough that makes you become a regular.